Display apparatus



Jan. 5, 1937. w. D. APPEL ET Al. 2,066,310

DI SPLAY APPARATUS Original Filed June 2, 1934 4 Sheet-Sheet 1 Jan. 5,1937. w. D. APPEL ET AL 2,066,310

DISPLAY APPARATUS Original Filed June 2, 1934 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 '6 V( I)P Jan. 5, 1 937. w APPEIL ET AL, 2,066,310

DISPLAY APBARATUS Original Filed June 2, 19:54 4 Sheets-Sheet :s

Jan. 5, 1937. w. D. APPEL ET AL DISPLAY APPARATUS Original Filed June 2,1934 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Patented Jan. 5, 1937 uNiTEo STATES PATENT OFFICEI DISPLAY APPARATUS William D. Appeland Herbert F. Schiefer,

' Washington, D. O.

Application June 2, 1934, Serial No. 128,716

Renewed October 21, 1936 21 Claims. (01. 35-456) and lower leg movementsuch as that provided 4 of automatic means for causing relativemoveprovision of means whereby the stocking may be supported ontranslucent members and illuminated internally to give a clearer andmore effective display. p

A still further object of the invention consists in the provision ofexternal as .well a? internal illuminating means and of means forperiodically lighting and. extinguishing said illuminating means.

Although the specific embodiments described herein and illustrated inthe accompanying drawings are merely illustrative of several specificforms of the invention, it will be apparent that the invention issusceptible of many further and various modifications limited only bythe scope of the appended claims.

In the drawings:

Fig. l is a front elevation of the improved display apparatus;

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view of the apparatus showing theoperating mechanism;

Figs. 3, 4, 5, and 6 are sectional views taken on the lines 3-3, 4-4,5-5, and 66 respectively of Fig. 2, in each instance looking in thedirection of the arrows;

Fig. 7 is an enlarged side elevation showing the means for controllingthe lighting circuits;

Fig. 8 is a sectional view taken on the line 88 of Fig. 7;

Fig. 9 is a vertical sectional view of a modified form of the apparatusadapted to move the foot and lower leg from the knee;

Fig. 10 is a vertical section of a still further modified form of theapparatus to simulate a foot by the apparatus of Fig. 9; and

Fig. 11 is a horizontal sectional view taken on the line H of Fig. 2looking in the direction of the arrows.

With more particular reference to the drawings, the specific embodimentof the invention.

illustrated therein comprises a main frame composed of four corner postsi extending vertically upward from a base 2. The corner posts I may beconstructedfrom any suitable material and are illustrated as beingformed from lengths of steel right-angle angle sections.

The lower portion of the frame work is enclosed by means of wall panels3 and a floor 4 of wood or other suitable material preferably nottransparent. The panels 3 and 4 form together with the base 2 anenclosed housing for the operating and circuit control mechanism of thedisplay apparatus. One of the wall panels 3 may be removably mounted toprovide a means of access to the housing to adjust or repair themechanism housed therein.

The upper extremities of the corner posts are joined by means of anglesections 5 similar in cross section to the angle sections forming thecorner posts I. In each of the members I and 5, above the floor 4 ismounted a filler strip 6. These filler strips are disposed at a 45 angleto the surfaces of the angle members and are proedges in order to form agroove for the reception of glass panels 9 which form transparent wallsfor the frame work on three sides and top. On

the fourth side of the frame work the construction of the angle piecesand fillerstrips is somewhat modified to permit mounting of a door framel0, 'seen in Fig. 3. The door contains a glass panel I l ofsubstantially the same size as the panel on the opposite side of theframe work and when closed gives substantially the same appearanc .1 sdoor frame III is pivotally secured by means of hinges l2 to one of theadjacent corner posts I and provides a convenient means of access to theinterior of the frame work above the floor 4.

Mounted within the frame work on the floor-4 is a casting l5 having aflanged base secured to the floor 4 by means of suitable bolts It. The

casting has a hollow cylindrical upstanding portion I! substantiallycentrally disposed within the casing and mounted over a hole l1 in thefloor 4. Disposed within the portion l3 of the casting are a pair ofcoaxial, spaced bushings II which serve to guide a vertically disposedop-v erating rod l9.

Beneath the floor 4 on the base 2 is mounted an electric motor 20directly connected to a worm reduction gear 2| which drives ahorizontally disposed shaft 22 at reduced speed. A substantiallycircular plate 23 is keyed to the shaft 22 and has an axially projectingcrank pin 24 mounted in its face. plate 23 are so disposed within thehousing that the crank pin will be directly beneath the hole [1 in thefloor 4. A suitable connecting rod 23 has oneend pivotally mounted in ablock 23 secured to the lower end of the operating rod l9 and has itsother end journalled on the crank pin 24.

It will now be seen that as the electric motor 23 is run, a verticalreciprocatory movement will be imparted to the rod [9. This movementwill be relatively slow due to the reduction gear 2|, and the lengththereof will be determined by the radial distance of the crank pin 24from the axis of the shaft 22. I

The operating rod l9 extends nearly to the upper end of the frame workand has mounted thereon a foot member 21 adapted. to partially supportthe stocking to be tested. The foot member is preferably formed ofglass, porcelain or some other suitable material which is to some extenttranslucent but not transparent and hav: ing "an external conformationsuch that an ordinary womans stocking will smoothly flt thereon.Internally the foot portion 21 is provided with a pair of struts 28 and29 which have holes therethrough and serve to provide means by which thefoot portion may be rigidly and permanently secured to the operating rodI9.

Rigidly secured to the operating rod 19 on the portion thereof below thefoot member 21 are a pair of spaced clamps 39 and 3| each havingpivotally secured thereto two toggle links 32 and 33 respectively. Thesetoggle links are mounted on diametrically opposed-sides of theirrespective clamps and all lie in substantially the same plane.

The outer ends of the links on one side are pivotally secured to achannel shaped member 33 having a smoothly rounded outer surface whichforms a substantial continuation of the adjacent surface of the footmember 21. Thetoggles 32 are connected in a similar manner to a member33 similar in construction to the member 33.

The members 35 and 33 may be made of metal and are provided at theirinner edges with clamping strips 31 which serve to retain relativelynarrow panels 33 of translucent material similar in nature to thematerial of which the foot member 21 is formed. The panels 33 on thefront of the 75 the rigid securement of the clamps 33 and 3| to use. Itis well recognized that due to the, nature 'vertical operating rod 19 isreciprocated' it will slide freely through the bushings l3, but due toThe motor 23, gear 2| and the rod, these will be reciprocatedvertically. Due to the connections of the toggle links 4| to the links33 it will be apparent that vertical reciprocation of the rod l3 willcause the members 33 and 33 to be reciprocated transversely toward andaway from the operating rod with little or no vertical movement and atall times remainingsubstantially parallel to each other. Due to therigid connection of the foot member 21 to the rod stationary, roughlyforms a continuation of the outer surfaces of the members 33 and 33 andhas an upwardly extending stirrup portion 43' comprising panels on eachside of the rod fonning substantial continuatlons of the externalsurfaces of the members 33 and 33 and so positioned that the panels 33may slide behind them as the members 33 and 33' are reciprocated. Thisis" clearly shown in Fig. 6. These panels areflat in the lower portionand slightly curved above as shown in Fig. 4.

These side panels 43' extend upwardly within the foot member 21 and areioinedby a cross piece 41 which strengthens an surrounds the operatingrod I9. This cross piece 41 has an aperture sumciently large to permitthe operating rod l9 and clamp 33 to pass therethrough as is seen inFig. 11. The width of the panels 33 is .These sockets are mounted on thestruts 23 and 29 in the foot member 21,- on the internal surfaces of themembers 33 and 33 and on the interand 33-on the opposite side of theoperating rod" nal surface of the housing member 43 and are connected bysuitable flexible circuit wires in order to permit the 11 relativemovements of the various parts. A small electric light bulb 49 is.provided for each of the sockets and inasmuchasallofthesocketsareconnectedtothe same circuit it wi l'be apparent thatall ofthe casting I 3 by means of springs bulbs maybe simultaneomly lighted.

Asis seeninl 'lglastockingflmaybepulled on over the member 21 and downoverthe members 35 and 33, theparts being of such proportions that thecircumferential length as well as the axial length correspond verynearly to the clasps 3| resiliently secured to the base of-the- 32 orother suitable elastic means. 7

-It will be clear that in the apparatus described 3 above, thereciprocation of the various members internally of the stocking servesto subject it to stresses-similar to those encountered during daily .thepreceding figures.

of the fabric of which most stockings are composed the circumferentiallengthening of a portion of the leg portion causes a shortening of thelength. To permit this it is clearly seen that the foot member 21 movesdown as the members 35 .and 36 are moved away from each other.

An odometer 56 may be mounted on a suitable pedestal 55 in such aposition that the trip lever 51 thereof will contact the member 35during its'movement so that the odometer will graphically indicate thenumber of cycles of operation to which a particular stocking has beensubected.

Although the various lights described ab ve may be connected directly toa source of current and remain constantly lighted during the op-'eration of the apparatus, there are provided means for periodicallylighting and extinguishing these lights during the operation of theapparatus to render the display; generally, more pleasing and efiective.To this end there is provided a switch located in the housing beneaththe floor 4. This switch comprises a pair of insulating posts 60 mountedon the base 2 and having journalled therein a metallic shaft 6!. Theshaft has a brush 62 for maintaining contact therewith during rotationmounted on one of the posts .50, abutting against one end of the shaftto'which brush is connected the common return circuit wire 63. Integralwith and rigidly secured to the shaft is a ratchet wheel 54. Anactuating lever 65 has one end journalled on the shaft and the otherslotted to receive the crank pin 24 on the plate 23. The lever55 has apawl 65 pivoted thereto adapted to engage the toothed periphery of theratchet wheel 66 and held in position by a spring 56. Thus it will beseen that as the motor is run, the shaft M will be rotated step by step.A metallic sector 51 is also secured to the shaft adapted to slide pastand electrically contact three stationary brushes 68, 69 and 7B. Acircuit wire H connects with the brush 58 and leads to alternate socketsin the frame work which. contain bulbs of a distinctive color. A circuitwire 72 connects with the brush 59 and leads to the remaining sockets inthe frame work which contains bulbs of a different distinctive color.The remaining circuit wire 13 leading from the brush it controls ,thecircuit to the sockets 48 located internally of the members 21. 35, 35and 85 which serve to illuminate the stocking being displayed from theinterior thereof.

It will be clear from the foregoing that the running of the motor willcause a step by step advance of the sector 61 successively closing thethree light circuits and serving periodically to light and extinguishthe-various sets of lights. It will be noted that the sector 51 extendsover some considerable angular distance and hence that frequently two ofthe three circuits will be closed at the same time. It is apparent,therefore, that the stocking being displayed will not only be constantlystretched in substantially the same manner" as when it is worn but willbe subjected to periodically changing illumination. The fact that someof the members located witlfin the stocking being displayed aretranslucent contributes to a novel and extremely attractive lightingeffect. This coupled with movement of the stocking renders the displayas a whole very effective.

A. modified form of the invention is illustrated in Fig. 9. A casting 11is substituted for the casting i5 shown and described in connection withThe cylindrical central portion of this casting is carried upconsiderably further than is the case with the portion l5- of thecasting I 5. This extending central portion of the casting I1 is slottedto permit the mounting of the various clamps and toggle links which aresubstantially the same as have been described in connection with thepreceding figures and are designated by like reference characters.

The upper end of the central portion of the casting I1 is provided atone side thereof with an upstanding ear [8 on whichis mounted a bellcrank arm 19 pivotally connected thereto. The bellcrank arm has a longupstanding portion 80 which servesto mount the foot member 21. Atransversely extending portion 8| of the bell crank arm is slotted toreceive a pin 82 carried by the upper end of a vertical'operating rod83, which is substantially the same as the operating rod l9, up to thepoint where the pin 82 is inserted. The rod 83 terminates shortly abovethis point and is not used to support the foot member of the apparatusas was the rod l9.

It will be apparent that the vertical reciprocation of the rod 83 willcause, due to the bell crank arm, a short reciprocating arcuate movement of the foot member 21 aboutits pivot. This construction, whenoperated asin the case of the previous construction, will causea-flexing of the stocking being displayed at the knee portion and resultin stresses being imposed upon the fabric substantially the same asthose imposed during walking when the stocking is worn.

A modified form of the device illustrated in Fig. 9 is shown in Fig. 10,wherein the uppermost. end of the casting TI is provided with anupstanding lug 86 having a laterally extending pin 85 carried in itsupper end. A rod 88 serving to support the foot member 21 is pivoted bymeans of a pin 5? directly to the end of the vertical operating rod 83.The rod 86 has a lateral extending portion 88, which is slotted toreceive the laterally extending pin 85 of the lug 84.

It will be apparent from this construction that as the operating rod 83is reciprocated vertically, the foot member 21 will not only bereciprocated vertically, but will be pivotally moved about the pin 81through a limited arcuate reciprocation. It is apparent that in both ofthese modifications, the connecting cross piece 41 will have to besufiiciently modified to permitthe various parts to extend therethrough.

It is further clear that in each instance, these modified forms of theinvention may contain similar means for illuminating them interiorly andbe mounted and displayed in substantially the same manner as the form ofthe invention disclosed in the preceding figures.

It is thought that it will be perfectly clear from the foregoing thatthe embodiments of the invention herein illustrated and described aremerely illustrative of optional forms in which alternately stretchingcircumferentially of a portion of said article.

2. Apparatus for displaying hosiery comprising members adapted to extendwithin a stocking to be displayed, one of said members adapted tosupport the foot portion of said stocking and other members adapted tosupport the leg portion of said stocking, and a motor for causingrelative movement of all of said members to stretch said stockingalternately and circumferentially.

3. Apparatus for displaying hosiery comprising a foot member adapted toextend within the article to be displayed, relatively movable membersadapted to be moved toward and from each other and supporting the legportion of the hosiery and also movable with respect to said footportion, and means for imparting a repeatedreciprocatory movement to oneof said members to vary alternately the axial and circumferential lengthof the article being displayed.

4. Apparatus for displaying hosiery comprising afoot member adapted toextend within a stocking to be displayed to support the foot portionthereof, relatively movable members adapted to be moved toward and fromeach other and supporting the leg portion of the hosiery and alsomovable with respect to said foot portion, and driving means operativelyassociated with said members to cause repeated relative movementthereof.

5. Apparatus for displaying hosiery comprising a pair 'of substantiallyparallel members adapted to extend within a stocking to be displayed,driving means operativeiy associated with said membersto reciprocatethem relatively to cause variations in the circumferential length of aportion of said stocking, and means for supporting the foot portion ofsaid stocking during movement of said members.

6. Apparatus for displaying hosiery comprising a pair of substantiallyparallel me bers adapted to extend within a stocking to be played, anddriving means operatively associated with said members to cause repeatedrelative movement of said members while in substantially parallelrelation.

7. Apparatus for displaying hosiery comprising a foot member adapted toextend within a '5 lights disposed within said stocking forilluminataiixed support, whereby when there is relative 7 stocking to bedisplayed to support the foot portion thereof, relatively movablemembers adapted to be moved toward and from each other and supportingthe leg portion of the hosiery and also movable with respect to saidfoot portion, and driving means operatively associated with said legmembers to reciprocate them relatively to vary the circumferentiallength of the leg portion of the stocking. V 8. Apparatus for displayinghosiery comprising a pair of members adapted to extend within a stockingto be displayed, driving means associated with said members torepeatedly move them relatively to cause a variation in thecircumferential length of said stocking, means for supporting the footportion of the stocking, and-means causing longitudinal reciprocation ofsaid foot supporting means in accordance with the said variation incircumferential length. I I

-9. Apparatus for displaying hosiery comprising reciprocable membersadapted to extend within a stocking -to be displayed,- means forperiodically reciprocating said members to stretch said article,

longitudinally v ing it internally, and means, associated with saidmeans for reciprocating said members, for periodically lighting andextinguishing said lights.

10. Apparatus for displaying hodery comprising translucent membersadapted to extend within the article being displayed to support thesame, said members being relatively movable to stretch the and means forilluminating said stocking internally thereof.

11. Apparatus for displaying hoisery comprising a translucent footmember adapted to extend within the article to be displayed, translucentmembers also adapted to extend within the article to be displayed and tosupport the leg portion thereof, means for causing relative movement ofsaid members, and illuminating means disposed internally of saidmembers.

12. Apparatus for displaying hosiery comprising reciprocable membersadapted to extend within a stocking to be displayed, means forreciprocating said members to stretch said stocking. lights disposedwithin said stocking, and means for periodically lighting andextinguishing said lights.

13. Apparatus for displaying hosiery comprising members adapted toextend within the stocking to be displayed, means for moving saidmembers to stretch the stocking, and means for illuminating saidstockinginternally.

14. Apparatus for displaying hosiery comprising reciprocable membersadapted to extend within a stocking to be displayed, means forautomatically reciprocating said members, and means for illuminatingsaid stocking internally during said reciprocatory movement.

15. Apparatus for displaying hosiery comprising a pivotaliy mounted footmember adapted to extend within a stocking to be displayed, members alsoadapted to'extend within said stocking to support the leg portion ofsaid stocking, means for causing relative movement of said foot memberwith respect to said members about its pivot and means for moving saidlast mentioned members relative to each other to repeatedly stretch theleg portion.

16. Apparatus for displaying hosiery comprisingmembersadaptedtoextendwithinastocbingtobedispiayed,twoofsaidmembersbeing relatively movable to cause avariation in the circumferential length of the stocking, one of said twomembers being adapted to receive the front of the stocking and having asubstantially continuous curved surface at that portion on which theimmediate front of the stocking rests, the other of said two membersconstituting the rear element and having a corresponding uninterruptedand continuous curved surface adapted to/receive the intermediate rearcentral portion of the stocking, said stocking supporting membersincluding an element for supporting the foot of the stocking and whichelement is separate from said two members which support the front andrear portion of the stocking, and driving means for causing relativemovement or said members.

17. Apparatus for displaying hosiery comprising members adapted toextend within a stocking-.to be displayed, a shaft extending lengthwiseof and between those of said members adapted to support the leg portion,arms pivotaliy connected to said shaft and pivotally connected to saidleg portion members, each of said arms having connected thereto andserving as a fulcrum therefor a link constituting a lever extending to Imovement between said shaft and said fixed support the arms and the legsupporting portions are moved with respect to said shaft to stretch thestocking circumferentially, and driving means associated with saidmembers for causing relative movement thereof.

18. Apparatus for displaying hosiery comprls-.

ing leg portion supporting members adapted to extend within a stockingto be displayed, a shaft extending lengthwise and between said membersadapted to support the leg portion, arms pivotally connected to saidshaft and pivotally connected to said leg portion members, each of saidarms having connected thereto a link constituting a lever extendingtoafixed support whereby, when there is relative movement between saidshaft and said fixed support, said arms and said leg supporting portionsare moved with respect to said shaft to stretch the stockingcircumferentially, and driving means associated with said members forcausing relative movement thereof to stretch hosiery exhibited thereon.

19. Apparatus for displaying hosiery, comprising members adapted toextend within and support the article being displayed including thelower leg portion and the upper leg portion, and

means for stretching a portion of said article along one side thereof byinclining the lower leg portion with respect to the upper leg portion ofthe article thus simulating the flexing of the human leg at the knee.

20. Apparatus for displaying hosiery comprising a foot member adapted toextend within the article to be displayed, a plurality of relativelymovable members adapted to be moved toward and from each other andsupporting both the lower and the upper leg portion of the hosiery, andmeans for imparting a repeated reciprocatory movement to said memberswhereby the lower leg portion supporting member is moved with respect tosaid upper leg portion supporting members and the latter are moved withrespect to each other to repeatedly stretch theleg portion of th articlebeing displayed. .21. Apparatus for displaying hosiery comprising a footmember adapted to extend within a stocking to be displayed to supportthe foot portion thereof, relatively movable members adapted to be movedtoward and from each other and supporting the upper leg portion of thehosiery, a first connecting means between the foot supporting member andthe leg portion supporting members, second connecting means between saidrelatively movable members, and driving means operatively associatedwith both said first and said second connecting means whereby the footsupporting member is moved with respect to said leg portion supportingmembers and the latter are moved with respect to'each other torepeatedly stretch the leg portion circumferentially,

and lengthwise.

WILLIAM D. APPEL. HERBERT F. SCHIEFER.

